Jessica Chastain has denied reports that she has rivalry with fellow Oscar nominee Jennifer Lawrence, calling the stories "sad".

There had been allegations that the flame-haired star, who has received the Oscar best actress nomination for her performance in Kathryn Bigelow's Zero Dark Thirty, wasn't pleased with the younger actress' increased presence at awards ceremonies, following her nod for Silver Linings Playbook.

But Jessica slammed the stories, writing on her Facebook page: "I find it very sad that media makes up bogus stories about women fighting in this industry. I've done two photo shoots with Jennifer Lawrence over the years and have found her to be utterly charming and a great talent. I've told her how beautiful her film work is."

The 35-year-old revealed she is often asked about competition on the set of The Help, which also starred Emma Stone, Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer.

"Filming The Help was the most amazing experience and yet, that is the film I'm most asked about in regards to "fighting on set". Why do we support the myth that women are competitive and cannot get along?" she continued.

"I think all of the actresses recognised this year have given incredible performances. But more important, they've all shown themselves to be filled with generosity and kindness."

Jessica added that she is "supportive" of her fellow actresses: "Every time an actress is celebrated for her great work, I cheer. For the more brilliant their performance, the more the audience demands stories about women.

"With support and encouragement, we help to inspire this industry to create opportunities for women. And as we all know: a great year for women in film, is just a great year for film. xxjes."